But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:7. let your light shine through your cracked pot. Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in.

And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.” “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” “All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Mark 7:20-23 N.K.J.V.

It is a pharisaical sin characterized by superiority of attitude. It is a state of pride that is the very opposite of Jesus’ claim for Himself, meek (praotes) and lowly (tapeinos).

When the Elephant in My Room is Pride

The Bible is clear on pride. Pride is not from God but from the world (1 John 2:16). Pride will bring us down (Prov. 29:23; 16:18) and bring disgrace (Prov. 11:2). Jesus said that it is one of the defiling expressions of a heart opposed to God (Mark 7:22). It is one of those pervasive heart problems that can drive a life like few other struggles can. It can even drive good things we do in ministry.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV.

Sound mind, sophronismos, Strong’s # 4995: combination of sos, “safe,”and phren “the mind”; thus, safe-thinking. The word means good judgment, disciplined thought patterns, and the ability to understand and make right decisions. It includes the qualities of self-control and self-discipline.

The spirit of fear may find a place by reason of one’s natural temperament, but it is not merely a human mentality; it is not from God; and it can immobilize and torment its victims, making them feel powerless and alone (1 John 4:18).

Indecision or wrong decisions are then made that could give place to bondage and great human suffering. In the face of fear, we are to remember our calling from God (2 Tim. 1 :6). We have within us:

The power of God, through the Holy Spirit, enabling us to no longer be victims (our text);

The perfect love of God, poured into our lives through Jesus Christ and His abiding presence (Rom. 5:5);

The mind of Christ by which we can apply the ways of God in making “sound” choices (2 Tim.1:7).

Applying this truth determines whether we overcome fear or are overcome by it (1 John 5:4).

Shame becomes toxic when we allow someone, or someone forces us, to break our boundaries of morality. This is apparent in a study of the rape of Tamar. Amnon, Tamar’s half brother was obsessively in love with with her. Through subtlety, he was able to get her into his bed-chamber alone.

When she was propositioned by Amnon she answered him: “nay, m, brother, do not force me, do not humble me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not behave so foolishly. And where shall I cause my shame to go?” 2 Samuel 13: 12-13.

Tamar pleads with Amnon not to violate her moral and social boundaries. She offered him a solution that would allow him to have intercourse with her and yet not cause her to have shame. “Go to father,” she pleaded. “He will give us permission to marry.”

Let us look into her request and the purpose behind it. For Amnon to have sexual relations with her would have violated her moral boundaries as a single, unmarried woman. To violate these boundaries would cause her to have a deep sense of shame.

To get married would re-define and establish new boundaries, for the moral boundaries of a single girl are different from that of a married woman. That which causes those guilt and shame, sexually, would not cause guilt and shame after marriage.

For the marriage bed is honorable to all provided there is no lust involved in fulfilling our sexual desires, and we do not violate our partner’s conscience, causing them to sin. Amnon would not listen to Tamar, so he raped her. The devastation that his act of selfishness caused her is recorded in 2 Samuel 13:19-20.

”And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of diverse colours, that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went on crying …so Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.”

This tragic story and its repercussions has been repeated a number of times, leaving those women who have been forcibly raped or sexually abused to suffer a life-time of inner pain and humiliation, leaving deep scars of guilt and shame.

There is help that is permanent it is only found in the healing power provided by the Holy Spirit of God. Seek Christian council from proven ministries.

Israel demands a king. 1 Samuel 8: 7,10. Samuel tells them what a king will be like verse 11-18-19. Here is where the demands of the people where ahead of God’s plan. Verse 22, So the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.” There is a distinct difference between God’s allowing Saul to be made a king and His own choice of David. God says of David, “I have provided Myself a king.” 1 Samuel 16:1.

In Saul He gives the people their king.

Chapter 9.1,2. The word power at the end of verse one is really wealth, notice it says a Benjamite, a mighty man of wealth. Meaning the family was one of significance, of influnce, well educated, well respected and ruled over many people in their family and servents. Tall and hansome are what people look for in a leader.

Saul goes looking for his fathers donkeys and ends up meeting Samuel the Seer and prophet. In 1 Samuel 9:17-21. God speaks to Samuel and tells him Saul is the man he told him about. Saul’s shame was manifested in his reply to Samuel in verse 21.

Many teach that Saul was very humble by his statement to Samuel in verse 21, but it was actually the manifestation of shame because Saul was a Benjaminite and when he was told he would lead Israel the generational curse that nearly wiped out the tribe of Benjamin manifested.

This is proved out in 1 Samuel 10: 20-24 read.

Shame as a covering of the Soul. The word “shame”has its roots in meaning “to cover or hide an exposure.” Covering was a defense against being exposed, which wounded one’s self-respect. Shame was an assurance that privacy would be maintained. When someone says, I feel ashamed,” the meaning may actually express , “I do not want to be seen.”

Shame is generally defined as “an unpleasent emotional reaction by an indivdual to an actual, or presumed negative judgment of himself by others, resulting in self-depreciation.

There is a close relantionship between shame and guilt. Guilt is the product of a sense of wrong doing, and fear of punishment. Shame involves a feeling of inferioity; a deep sense of shame that one is inherently marred in one’s personality. A simple way of understanding these two are: guilt will say, “I feel bad,” and shame will say, “I am bad.”

Where did the Shame come to the tribe of Benjamin? Judges 19. read a bit. See verse 13,14. Jump to 22, 29. Chapter 20;11–13. end came finally in verse 46, 47.

The tribe of Benjamin was a wealthy and powerful tribe, yet they would not turn over the perverted men who raped and murdered the woman. They refused to listen to the voice of thier brethern. This lead to them almost becoming extinct.

This trait shows up latter in King Sauls life. In chapter 13 of 1 Samuel Sauls problem manifests. Samuel tells Saul because his unlawful Sacrifice his kingdom will not be long and continue along Sauls line.

In 1 Samuel 16 David is anointed King. In verse 14 The Holy Spirit departs Saul. A very sad and tragic end to this mans life. Saul had a shame based personality , devestation /bondage comes from a shame based personality.

David is in sharp contrast to Saul. Davids brothers were envious of him, David knew his Lord. Saul depended on Samuels leadership at first then went off. David respected God’s ways.

David sinned greviously with Bathsheba and we learn from his prayer in Ps. 51 that david was truely repent and listened to the Holy Spirits prompting to live according to truth.

In verse 6 read we read”You will make me to know wisdom.” David sought the Lord for a cleansing for his soul verse 7. The Hebrew word for wash is not the one used for the simple cleaning of a dish in water, but rather the washing of clothes by beating and pounding. David wanted a thorough cleansing from the sin nature.

David was a king yet he was open to the Lord’s direction and leading. Saul was covered in his generational sin. Shame always covers the personality. In verse 8 God’s conviction bore down upon David, to the point of seemingly crushing him.

Verse 11 the absence of God’s presence is the same as the absence of His Spirit. David predessor, Saul had experienced this (1 Sam. 16:14) beacuse he would not repent from sinfulness because of shame.

Saul was a man of the people who suffered a generational shame that worked within him to bring destruction to his life and family.

David sinned but went on in life by walking in the Grace of God that showed him forgivness through repentance.

Prayer for renunciation —–2 Cor. 4:2; Amplified. We have renounced disgraceful ways (secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, the methods and arts that men hide through shame); we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adultrate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly). And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man’s conscience.

In the name of jesus, I renounce all generational shame that came from my parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

I renounce the curse of shame and poverty. I renounce all personal shame and humiliation. I release from the cycle of shame caused by my own sin, or someone’s sin against me.

I renounce all family familiar spirits of shame that oppress me, my family, my children and my children’sa children. I forgive my forefathers for their sin that caused the curse of shame to come upon me.

Thank You Lord, for releasing me from shame and for release and freedom of all my possessions and goods. Amen!

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple… Psalm 19:7 NKJV.

That the “law of the Lord is perfect” is direct reference to the absolute, complete, and entire trustworthiness of the Holy Scriptures, which constitute the Bible.

The Word of God is perfect in its accuracy and sure in its dependability. There are two terms generally used to describe these features of God’s Word:

Inerrant (perfect) means that, in the original copies of each manuscript written by each Bible book’s respective author, there was nothing mistaken or tinged with error. (Further, the excellence of the Holy Spirit’s protection of the Scriptures over centuries has insured that the copies delivered into our hands from generations past are essentially the same. Even literary critics who claim no faith in the truth of the Bible attest to its being the most completely reliable of any book transmitted from antiquity, in terms of its actually remaining unchanged and dependably accurate.)

Infallible refers to the fact that the Bible is unfailing as an absolutely trustworthy guide for our faith (belief in God) and practice (Life and behavior). This is so because God is true (John 3:33; 17:3), because His Word reveals His truth (17:17), and because God cannot lie (Num.23:19; Titus 1:2; Heb.6:18).

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 2 NKJV.

Prosperity is a result; as it pertains to salvation (soteria) and in the over all results God provides for believers. It is certain that God wants His children to prosper. Can anyone deny that? However, prosperity should not be the end in itself. It should be the result of a quality of life, commitment, dedication, and action that is in line with God’s Word.

In our text the word “prosper” (Greek—euodoo) literally means “to help on the road” or “succeed in reaching.” Its meaning is significant in that divine prosperity is not a momentary, passing phenomenon, but rather it is an ongoing, progressive state of succees and well-being. It is intended for every area of our lives: the spiritual, the Physical and emotional, and the material.

However, God does not want us to unduly emphasize any one area. We must maintain a balance. The last expression of our verse translated “ just as your soul prospers,” actually means “in the measure that your soul walks in a proper and right manner.” In other words the Apostle John is saying to Gaius that his wish is that everything about him is doing well and that he is healthy, (sound) and doing well and being healthy depends upon the right direction of his soul, or his attitude.

It needs to be said that true restoration of relationships involves more than choices to forgive and be forgiven and a great deal more than fleshly striving to be kind and loving.

Holiness is not achieved merely by working to order our behavior according to the laws of God. Holiness is a matter of giving ourselves so completely to the Lordship of Jesus Christ that by the power of His Holy Spirit living in us we are transformed into His likeness. His purposes, motivations, and responses become ours. Our behavior is then the outward manifestation of what He has been allowed to accomplish in our innermost being.

Many in the church have not understood that a deep transformation of the inner man needs to happen for everyone in the process of sanctification. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted: but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.” 1 Corinthians 4:4, 5.

Hidden things in the heart (hardened heart, bitterness) often block us in our Christian walk and keep us from becoming one with each other and with God. When born-again Spirit-filled Christians cannot walk in Christ, often what is involved is one must minister through counseling to the evangelization of unbelieving hearts of believers. Hebrews 3:12.

Many Christians resist the very idea of sanctification as a process. Rather, they see it in terms of a single happening, an experience. They celebrate the fact that their sins are forgiven and they are new creatures in Christ, which indeed they are (2 Cor. 5:17) However, many fail to see that the new creation has yet to put off the practices of the old man (habitual ways of seeing, thinking, feeling, and acting) and to put on the new self who is “being renewed” (Col.3:3-15).

Many do not seem to understand that they must be renewed in the spirit of their minds (Eph. 4:23) so that they may learn, for example, how to “be angry” but “sin not,” Eph. 4:26.

Our renewed mind must be trained to take authority over the emotions of our heart so that choices to act are not directed by emotions but by the mind of Christ in us. We are crucified with Him (Gal.5:24 and 2:20) but Paul also says that we “die daily” (1 Cor. 15:31) as we reckon ourselves dead to sin and present ourselves as alive to Christ as instruments of righteousness (Rom. 6:11-14).

“By one offering He has perfected for all times those who are (being) sanctified” Heb. 10:14; this passage speaks of a process. In Hebrews 12:14 Christians are told to “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord.”

We are commanded to: “see to it that no one come short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” (Heb. 12:15) we are to do as Paul did, “…I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12). We are to “grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2) and “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12).

Christians who do not understand that our positional perfection in Jesus must become experiential in this life have counted their born-again experience as the end accomplishment rather than the beginning of a new life empowered by the risen Lord, supported, and nurtured by life in the family of God. (The Church).

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Scott is a friend who has prayed with over 5 thousand people, and trained 600 Pastors. He is a genuine man of God. He has prayed for me and my wife as well as trained me.
I highly recommend his ministry to anyone suffering in areas where issues have not been resolved.
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